Tech That Remains the Foundation of Computer Science

August 19, 2011

It seems like as soon as you buy a new piece of technology, a faster and better version comes out. Technologies that were cutting edge last week are old news this week. However, it might surprise you to know that the root of these technologies have stayed the same for 50 years.

If we live in a world of ever changing technology, what makes these core technologies remain unchanged? Was the initial design so strong that it didn’t need much improvement? Here are a few technologies that have retained their integrity for over 4 decades.

Virtual Memory– 1962 – This allows systems to use hardware memory more efficiently by recycling space used for memory. This theory led to time-sharing or the ability for systems to multi-task.

MOS Chip – 1967 – Metal-oxide semiconductor. This technology is used today to make computer chips and is referred to as CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor). The technology has changed a bit over time so adaptability is one trait that has kept it alive.

C programming language – 1969 – Developed by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labs, C is the most popular and widely used programming language in the world. When you get something right why change it?

We have observed these technologies morph into other kinds of tech, programming languages, and inspire new ideas and designs. It’s amazing that these technologies have remained at the root of so many technological innovations today!